Written by Michele Wheat
It's often challenging to recognize someone who struggles with a spectrum disorder. Autistic children usually look just like other kids from the outside. Spectrum disorders generally involve a range of issues, often affecting people uniquely. People with autism may struggle with developing social skills, they may experience sensory overload in many situations, and they tend to exhibit specific sets of repetitive behaviors. Autistic people also struggle with communication, both verbal and nonverbal. Providing autistic children with opportunities to express themselves artistically can have a variety of benefits. Just the acts of working with different art mediums is often calming for children with spectrum disorders. They may enjoy painting, making crafts like wristbands and collages, completing a puzzle, or doing a science experiment. Kids can also benefit from expressing themselves artistically, especially if they struggle with communicating. Choosing activities with positive sensory stimulus can help a child with autism develop and socialize while having fun.
- Paint With Ice - The sensory experience of using cold ice paint will likely fascinate a child with a spectrum disorder such as autism. Kids can practice both counting skills and color recognition as they create.
- 18 Interesting Games And Activities For An Autistic Child - Indoor activities such as creating a shredded flower bouquet will give children a quiet activity that will produce a decorative bouquet of colors and shapes.
- Sensory Activities for Children in Mainstream Classes (PDF) - It's important to set a beginning and ending time for art activities to give autistic children limits, which helps them know what to expect.
- 5 Activities to Engage Your Child with Autism - These activities include ice painting and making edible jewelry, both of which provide children with quiet, sensory activities that they will enjoy doing.
- Activities for Autistic Children - Offering autistic children the opportunity to engage in messy art projects can be beneficial. Projects involving shaving cream, paint, or modeling dough can be enjoyable.
- 7 Rockin' Sensory Play Activities for Kids on the Spectrum - Kids with spectrum disorders often need help regulating themselves, and sensory activities can be beneficial. An art project such as painting with shaving cream can be ideal for autistic children.
- 8 Art Ideas for Kids with Special Needs From an Art Therapist - Autistic children often enjoy the nonverbal process of expressing themselves through an art medium.
- Art for Children and Adults with Disabilities - Some art activities that might be appealing for autistic children include musical art and a crayon resistance project.
- How Low-Budget Art Projects Can Enhance The Lives Of Children With Autism And Other Learning Differences - A child struggling with fine motor skills can gain valuable dexterity by participating in art activities.
- Autism, Art, and the Classroom - Nonverbal children can express thoughts and feelings through art mediums such as painting or sculpting.
- Art Activities for Kids with Autism - Offering art activities such as finger painting, modeling with clay, or even shredding paper can provide autistic children with positive art experiences.
- Tips For Teaching Art To Kids With Autism - Children with spectrum disorders tend to need more structure, and this is also true with art activities. This structure may involve providing more detailed instructions and basic supervision.
- All About Autism Lesson Plan - Art activities for autistic children can be as simple as providing sheets of paper with lines on them and encouraging the children to cut on the lines.
- Art and Autism (PDF) - Providing children with art activities often improves cognition, and it gives them an opportunity for important self-expression.
- Teaching Art - Tips to Consider - When multiple steps are involved in an art activity, explain everything to an autistic child to ensure the youngster knows what to expect.
- Marble Painting - Applying paint to paper with marbles can be an enjoyable sensory art project for children.
- 6 Sensory Arts and Craft Projects for Children with Autism - Playing with edible crafting dough can be appealing for children with autism, and they might make a variety of different shapes and creations.
- Creating Autism-Friendly Events A Provider Guide (PDF) - Creating an uncluttered work area will help autistic children feel calmer, and they will likely be able to focus more fully on artistic activities.
- The Benefits of Down Time for Children with Autism - Incorporating down time into a child's day is useful because this unstructured time can give an autistic child a chance to focus on specific interests such as working with different art mediums.
- 10 Calming Sensory Strategies - Someone with autism can become overwhelmed by too much stimulation, so using sensory strategies can be an effective way to create calm. Something as simple as working with clay can be calming for an autistic child.
- Afterschool Guide for Children with Autism (PDF) - Children with spectrum disorders often struggle with fine motor skills. Thus, art activities can be helpful for helping them develop dexterity.
- Supporting Children with Autism - Children with autism often have trouble communicating, but offering artistic mediums can be an effective way for kids to express thoughts and feelings.
- More Ideas for Classroom Activities to Facilitate Children on the Autistic Spectrum (PDF) - Incorporating personal interests into art activities can be an effective way to get autistic children interested and enthused.
- How to Work with Students with Autism in the Art Room - Instituting clear limits and creating a work space for art activities will often help autistic children meet with success.
- Teaching Art to Children with Autism - Slow introduction of new concepts and skills is crucial for children with autism to avoid overwhelming them.
- Art Therapy for Children with ASD, ADHD, and Siblings (PDF) - Social communication is an important benefit of art therapy for children with spectrum disorders, because the art activities can bring peers together.
- Recreation, Leisure, and Play Activities - Some children may benefit more from engaging in art activities alone without peers around them.